Assessing the vulnerability of urban forests to climate change

Abstract

Climate adaptation is being embraced by many municipalities worldwide. An element of this is the planting and protection of urban trees. However, the fact that climate change will also have an impact on urban trees has been largely overlooked. We argue that climate vulnerability assessments are necessary for addressing climate adaptation in urban forests and contribute to successful climate adaptation in cities. We review and integrate the literature on climate vulnerability and urban forests to explore how the general notion of urban forest vulnerability to climate change can be developed into an operational framework for undertaking a vulnerability assessment. The framework characterizes climate exposure, impact, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity, as well as nonclimatic drivers and factors, in urban forests. The most important themes in this discussion include urban tree species selection and diversity, naturalization, resource access, social awareness and engagement, budget and economic valuation, liability issues, and governance structures. Climate change vulnerability assessments help us understand how and why urban forests are vulnerable to climate change, identify future areas for research, and determine what adaptation measures could be included in urban forest management. These assessments help bring climate change to the forefront of the decision-making process and contribute to successful urban adaptation to climate change.

Hierarchical filters determine community assembly of urban species pools

“…), others may not be as resilient. On the other hand, biodiversity in cities may be more vulnerable to climate change with interacting effects of the urban heat island and reductions in air quality (urban forests; Ordóñez and Duinker ). Cities can act as natural laboratories for examining the effects of global climate change on ecological, ecosystem (Youngsteadt et al.…”

“…Thus, while some birds may be more resilient to climate change, particularly warming, in fragmented and built areas than those communities found in contiguous habitats (Jarzyna et al 2015), others may not be as resilient. On the other hand, biodiversity in cities may be more vulnerable to climate change with interacting effects of the urban heat island and reductions in air quality (urban forests; Ordóñez and Duinker 2014). Cities can act as natural laboratories for examining the effects of global climate change on ecological, ecosystem (Youngsteadt et al 2014), and evolutionary processes.…”

Chicago Wilderness region urban forest vulnerability assessment and synthesis: a report from the Urban Forestry Climate Change Response Framework Chicago Wilderness pilot project

“…We consider urban forests to be vulnerable if they are anticipated to suffer substantial declines in health or productivity, similar to assessments of natural ecosystems Butler et al 2015;Handler et al 2014aHandler et al , 2014bJanowiak et al 2014). However, unlike in previous assessments of forested areas largely away from urban areas, considerations of social, economic, and organizational factors are critical in determining the overall vulnerability of an urban forest (Ordóñez and Duinker 2014). Urban forests can be considered social-ecological systems, where resilience of human communities and the ecological systems they depend upon are intertwined (Hale et al 2015, Mincey et al 2013, Tidball 2014, Vogt et al 2015.…”

“…This process built upon concepts for assessing the vulnerability of urban forests (Ordóñez and Duinker 2014) as well as vulnerability assessments focused on natural forests and completed for the Climate Change Response Framework Butler et al 2015;Handler et al 2014aHandler et al , 2014bJanowiak et al 2014). Our process was designed to draw upon urban forestry professionals' knowledge about the urban forests that they manage and to consider how these systems may change given projected climate changes.…”

“…Regional impacts were summarized from the information presented in Chapters 2 and 3, and adaptive capacity factors were identified from the literature (Ordóñez and Duinker 2014). Each consideration within a factor included a question to prompt the professionals to evaluate specific ways in which it could affect their work.…”